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Top technology trends in 2022
Let’s take a look at some of the emerging new technologies and latest tech trends that are set to become part of everyday life in 2022 and beyond.
Smart robots.
Researchers expect that emerging technology - such as Kindred technology and Vicarious – will see artificial intelligence move from homes into factories. Businesses will turn to machines with automated learning abilities because they can complete tasks more efficiently than their human counterparts. (Better not watch any of those Terminator films, eh.)
Business: Reimagined.
Business leaders will use AI to change their business models entirely. By developing artificial intelligence that collaborates with humans, this emerging technology has the potential to become a transformational tool that shapes the very nature of what an organisation does.
Intuitive chatbots.
Businesses will turn to innovations in artificial intelligence to provide a better customer experience. For example new chatbots are able to give more human responses and use more natural language. These chatbots understand the context, not just the content of a conversation and make pro-active suggestions, rather than just answer a question. Organisations can use AI such as this to identify a hot topic among clients and then develop new products to meet this need.
Internet of Things
Our homes are getting more intelligent and personalised all the time thanks to the latest technology trends, like smart bulbs, smart thermostats, smart security and smart speakers. But the Internet of Things (IoT) takes it one step further allowing devices to “talk” to each other and share data. Analysts predict that by 2025, the Internet of Things market will include over 75 billion devices. As more everyday tasks become automated, you’ll be able to leave the machines to get on with your chores while you’re busy enjoying yourself. That certainly sounds good to us!
We’re seeing a perfect storm with technology – the proliferation of superfast broadband and smart phones – and it’s allowing us to create things, merge ideas and share data like we’d never imagined before. In order to capitalise on this, business leaders are moving towards making greater investments in people, knowledge and tooling.
More people are doing more things on more devices. The result? More data than ever. With so much information being created and transferred every day, a number of trend reports suggest we’ll soon see the introduction of global cyber security standards to prevent hackers.
Using the latest technology and software, machinery can now recognise sounds, images and video. Businesses will be keen to step up their use of these kinds of cognitive services in the next year and beyond to improve their customers’ everyday lives.
Smart cities sound like something from the future but they’re here today – and growing. Focusing on the typical challenges of urban environments, they use technology to collect and analyse data and then apply this to improving every element of a city’s design. For example, a smart city might have cars with built-in IoT technology that can automatically take you to an appointment via the quickest route. And smart sensors that inform the emergency services if a pensioner takes a fall.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) allows you to interact with a simulated computer environment that looks life-like. Using electronic equipment - such as a headset with a screen or gloves with sensors - you can explore a new 3-D world from the comfort of the office or even your own home. Thanks to technological advances, VR is quickly growing far beyond its roots in gaming, with huge potential for a wide range of industries. Let’s look at some examples.
VR technology will increasingly be used to train medical professionals. Students are able to practice surgical procedures using virtual reality technology that allows them to ‘feel’ what they are doing.
This is a huge growth area thanks to the falling cost of VR wearables. As cheaper models make it onto the market, VR gaming will become an accessible, affordable option for millions more people around the world.
VR looks set to bring more fun to the education sector, allowing teachers to present information in a more engaging way. Virtual Reality is great for remote learning as students can experience topics through their own eyes. Plus it - quite literally - opens up the world for school trips with young people able to virtually visit the Louvre in Paris or roam with dinosaurs!
Companies look set to capitalise on innovation in VR, using it to create more immersive marketing campaigns. The travel industry in particular are keen to adopt the technology so they can give customers a life-like preview of hotels and destinations to encourage bookings.
5G
First we had 3G technology which led to the rise of the smartphone. Next came 4G which made browsing on our devices much faster and allowed us to do things like watch YouTube videos on the go. Now the fifth generation of cellular network technology is being rolled out around the globe.
5G is the latest generation of wireless mobile technology. Its unprecedented speed, responsiveness and ability to handle thousands of connected devices in a small area means it’s a hot topic in discussions about emerging tech trends. There are some big predictions about how it will change the way people live and work so let’s look at this year’s trends for 5G:
5G provides quicker, smoother networking capabilities and allows the faster transfer of information between billions of devices on the internet of things. This improved connectivity and capacity opens up the potential for new innovative products that meet the growing needs and expectations of today’s world.
There’s potential to use 5G for developing better public services like parking, traffic management and street lighting.
5G innovation offers huge potential for the healthcare industry. Pilot schemes include ‘smart ambulances’ which are equipped with 5G technology to allow hospital staff to direct paramedics on how to treat patients remotely.
Smart machinery will use 5G capabilities to provide manufacturers with real-time data, creating more efficient business processes.
The farming industry is already benefitting from 5G innovation. For example, autonomous farming machinery uses video sensors to determine where pesticides are required and then applies them. This trend looks set to continue with farming businesses using the latest technology to develop machinery that can save resources and boost efficiency.